You can install an X server on your laptop to open GUI displays from the Flux cluster using X forwarding. Depending on the application you are running, this could be very slow, especially over the VPN or wireless. We recommend that you only use X forwarding when you have a cabled connection to the campus network.

Linux typically installs with an X server for its own graphical user interface. You should not have to install anything special for most Linux machines.

Newer versions of Apple OS X no longer come with an X server installed. If your Mac does not have an X server, you should download XQuartz and install it. It should be a very straightforward installation.

If you have a Windows platform, consider downloading and installing Xming. Visit the Xming home page for additional documentation. At the time of writing, a good set of instructions for this is at the Penn State Institute for CyberScience Installing Xming X11 on Windows web page. There are also installers for Xming on the the U-M Blue Disc web site; note that there is an installer for the program and a second installer for the fonts it uses, so you should install both.

Once you have an ssh client working on your laptop, please read our Flux in 10 Easy Steps page for more information on using Flux.